As a reclusive and hermetic nation, North Korea has been an enigma to the world. This is especially true with regards to the enigmatic leader who has been in power since 2011 – Kim Jong-un.
Kim Jong-un first came to power after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il in 2011. Since then, it’s been a mystery as to his whereabouts. Reports say he is rarely seen in North Korea, and only makes rare public appearances. He has traveled abroad to China, South Korea and the Middle East.
The question of the whereabouts of Kim Jong-un is of interest because his location appears to be shrouded in secrecy. He is rarely pictured in public, and his official status is a state secret. This is especially true in the aftermath of his recent altercation with the United States over the development of nuclear weapons.
Kim Jong-un’s life is shrouded in mystery, though it has been revealed that he is from a wealthy family. His father had five wives, and Kim Jong-un was the youngest of three sons born to Kim Jong-il’s third wife, Ko Yong-hi.
North Korean experts suggest that much of his current information is known by a few senior North Korean officials. Speculation exists regarding the locations where he spends his time; some say that his official residence is somewhere near the Taedong River, which flows through the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.
Based on recent images and reports, Kim Jong-un appears to spend much of his time in the Hermit Kingdom’s remote Baekdu Mountain Range. This mountain range is the location of Mount Paektu, a sacred mountain to North Koreans, and is a popular destination of the nation’s ruling Kim family.
Additionally, Kim Jong-un is known to own and have access to an extensive network of secret facilities and compounds. He reportedly has built and maintains several luxury villas and has commissioned enormous construction projects.
He also possesses at least two luxury yachts, and is known to periodically take trips aboard them. Some analysts believe the vessels are used to ferry Kim Jong-un to remote locations away from the public eye, suggesting that the leader is rarely, if ever, in the same place twice.
Kim Jong-un’s Power and Influence
Little is known about the way in which Kim Jong-un wields his power. However, it is generally accepted that he exercises near absolute control over the nation. He has been known to have purged senior officials and eliminated dissenters.
Kim Jong-un has reportedly sought to bolster the power of the military. He has allegedly increased its size and authorized an aggressive nuclear weapons and missile program. Speculation that North Korea is seeking to develop nuclear weapons capable of hitting the United States has been met with concern from the international community.
Kim Jong-un has also promoted a personality cult surrounding his family. Monuments and propaganda are rampant in North Korea, and Kim Jong-un is routinely portrayed as a benevolent ruler who oversees all facets of the nation.
Ultimately, the motives of Kim Jong-un and his decisions remain a mystery. North Korea is among the most closed off, repressive nations in the world, and access to accurate information regarding the whereabouts of its leader is notoriously difficult to come by.
Domestic Policies
Kim Jong-un has also pushed for what some observers have termed ‘military-first’ domestic policy. The economy has been placed firmly in the hands of the military, a move which has had a noticeable impact on the life of North Koreans.
Food shortages are a common occurrence in the country, and reports of malnutrition are prevalent. Kim Jong-un has also clamped down on any form of freedom of expression or dissent, leaving many North Koreans living in fear.
Reports of human rights violations in North Korea are rampant. According to Freedom House, an international non-profit, North Korea ranks among the worst when it comes to human rights violations. The country has been accused of using torture, arbitrary detention and a lack of due process.
Though North Korea boasts a highly-developed public education system, the nation’s universities are not ranked among the world’s best. Sci-Tech news suggests that the nation’s universities provide little more than rote learning and a basic education.
International Relations
Kim Jong-un has attempted to use the nation’s nuclear weapons to further his own ends. He has made overtures to other nations, including to the United States, in an attempt to improve relations.
The United States, however, has remained firm in its stance against the North Korean regime, imposing economic sanctions and attempting to contain their nuclear program. The United Nations has also imposed economic sanctions, with the goal of curbing North Korea’s weapons development.
The international community has also expressed its concerns about North Korea’s human rights abuses and its aggression towards its neighbors, which has included launching ballistic missiles into the sea and airspace of neighboring countries.
The current state of relations between North Korea and other nations is in flux, with little known about the tensions. The North Korean regime occupies a large portion of the international conversation, and observers remain hesitant to make any manner of prediction due to the unknown nature of the nation’s leader.
The Future
What is certain is that the North Korean problem will not be solved in the near future. Although some suggest that diplomacy and negotiations may work, questions remain about the long-term effects of such a policy. There have been rumors of some kind of rapprochement between North Korea and the United States, but it remains to be seen whether or not this is even practical.
The future of the Korean peninsula, as well as the wider world, relies heavily on the actions of Kim Jong-un. Should the indications of a peaceful resolution between North Korea and its enemies prove to be false, then it could spell disaster for the region.
The world would do well to pay wise attention to the actions of Kim Jong-un. While his whereabouts may be a mystery to the public, his decisions could have a tremendous impact on the future of the Korean peninsula and the world.
Kim Jong-un’s Reputation
Kim Jong-un remains an enigma to the outside world, but in North Korea he is something of a savior. His father, Kim Jong-il, was seen by many as a tyrant, responsible for human rights abuses and economic stagnation. Kim Jong-un, however, has been presented as a modernizing leader who has improved living standards in the country.
The North Korean government regularly promotes Kim Jong-un in the press, portraying him as a master strategist who is leading North Korea to a brighter future. The country has experienced some improvements since his ascension to power.
Though Kim Jong-un is universally despised outside of North Korean borders, his reputation within the nation is one of near-worship. This is largely due to the fact that he is the third leader of the Kim family dynasty, further solidifying their status as North Korea’s ruling family.
The North Korean government has made it clear that Kim Jong-un is the country’s absolute leader, and that no one is to question him or his decisions. This authoritarian atmosphere has made it all the more difficult for observers to get any kind of accurate picture of the country’s leader.
Conclusion
Kim Jong-un remains a mysterious and enigmatic figure, and his whereabouts have been shrouded in secrecy for much of his time in power. His decisions and actions will have an enormous impact on the future of the Korean peninsula and the world, yet his motives remain largely opaque.
The only certainty is that the state of international relations with North Korea will remain unpredictable and precarious so long as Kim Jong-un remains in power. The hermetic nation remains an enigma, and much of the public’s understanding of the leader comes through speculation and rumor.
